On Fri, Mar 13, 2009 at 18:07, Bernhard Eversberg <ev_at_biblio.tu-bs.de> wrote:
> Why is it that some in our trade have this knee-jerk reflex against
> the necessity of learning on the part of library users?
Well, I'm not in the "trade", but *my* knee-jerk reaction comes from
one very simple point; for each "Huh?" your user exhales, you take one
step further into "fail."
>> say that people won't learn new stuff, nor that we can't expect them
>> to do so, but to require it? Massive fail.
>>
> "Require" was not my word.
Ok, fair enough, but if you use expressions user won't understand but
is needed to complete their task, it is required in the sense of
getting that task done. Well, that, or getting a librarian, and given
the resource and time scarcity, which one are you aiming for?
> Everyone is used to the fact that lifelong learning is necessary and
> beneficial. And everyone accepts that to get on with something non-
> elementary, there's no way to avoid a bit of learning. Only we are
> to let them forever believe they don't really need to? I beg to differ.
> Fundamentally. For that's against the very idea of enlightenment.
I'm sure there's heaps of books on this subject in the stacks, just
get a call slip for the right title statement, and you're on your ILL
way. Look, this isn't about simply learning something new, this is
mostly about making people learn stuff they don't need. The
information wasn't to know "stacks" from that everyday simple word
"shelves" (which they mostly are), but as soon as you dig into "title"
vs. "title statement" there's a whole culture you need to work out in
order to simply find your darn book.
Usability needs to be applied at the outer rings where the end user
actually lives. You want to make yourself relevant to the future? Make
yourself *useful*.
> Of course no one is saying we shouldn't try to create the best
> possible information infrastructure. This must provide easy ways
> for easy questions. It must also invite (not "require") users to learn
> more to get more out of it. Index browsing, as it appears at the moment,
> can be a useful part of the picture. Alas, it doesn't work without a bit
> of learning. Out the door with it then?
Yes, why not? If it doesn't work, if it ain't useful, if it is hard to
use, chuck it and do something else, hopefully something better and
more useful. It's called "evolution", I believe. :)
Regards,
Alex
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Received on Fri Mar 13 2009 - 04:07:02 EDT